[maemo-community] Pushing community software to prime time

[From: Quim Gil]

ext Dave Neary wrote:
> So we're not looking for apps that are *great* right now, we're looking
> for apps that have great potential to be great in 1 year?

Whatever is great today in Diablo is very likely to be just ok 3 months
after the release of the beta SDK, unless new ideas are implemented.
It's not only about the progress in Maemo, look also the world out
there. Everything is evolving fast and the question is whether the Maemo
& open source communities can come up with something challenging at that
speed running on top of Maemo Fremantle.

> Or are we brainstorming on types of applications which would be great
> for the tablet environment?

There is perhaps something wrong about this, but let me write it down:
great people are better than great ideas. Or great ideas are less great
without someone to execute them.

The list should point to real projects (no matter in which phase now)
with real people behind today. This way we can support them having the
cool stuff ready at the same time as the Maemo 5 release.



>> We are more interested in good level of creativity and potential. If
>> only 3 projects get there, fine. If there are 30, all the better. But
>> getting 30 by lowering expectations sounds like a poor trade off.
> 
> Agreed on having standards - my idea was something like:
> 
> 1. Set a standard (unfortunately, I don't think the standard can be
> completely objective - the "Wow!" factor is just too subjective).

Examples of standards?

Wow! is indeed subjective, like beauty. But like beauty, many people
recognize it where they have it in front.

> 2. Brainstorm a list of potential apps. I would suggest starting from
> existing applications rather than going down the road of brainstorming
> ideas that don't even exist yet.

Why not trusting ideas coming from trusted developers or projects?

It looks like you have in mind (unconsciously?) time frames of mature
thick native application development. How long does it take though to
develop something smart that does the trick though? Think also on
Mozilla addons, think widgets, think single purpose apps and so on.

> 3. From the list, order them by our standard and set a cut-off point.
> I'd say no more than 5 myself. You want these apps to be, as you say,
> the absolute cream of the crop, the apps that make you pee your pants
> with joy when you discover them.

If the list is sorted or categorized in some way you don't need to care
much about cutting off. We can do that anyway. In public, democratic
transparent processes cutting might take more time than adding. The
community value comes from the ability to brainstorm, discuss, filter
and sort.


>>> How do you plan on gathering and organising feedback,
>>> or is it up to us to propose and organise something?
>> You decide and we adapt to your process.
> 
> OK - proposal for step 2 already:
> 
> In the "Remarkable community projects" page, I just changed the "New
> proposals" section to "Proposals for Fremantle Stars". If people can add
> applications they consider worthy there, that's a good start.
> 
> Since we're talking about apps that should be "Wow!" in a while, I
> propose that we ignore the requirements that the app be in Extras & be
> cleanly installable for the moment - these are things that can be fixed
> when the time comes.
> 
> I would suggest to people that if you are adding any more than 2
> applications here, you're not being picky enough.
> 
> I think I would probably add Numpty Physics, and perhaps Maemo Mapper or
> Xournal.
> 
>>> When will we know we're finished?
>> 2008/11/01  :)
> 
> OK, at least there's a finality :)
> 
> Cheers,
> Dave.
> 

-- 
Quim Gil
marketing manager, open source
Maemo Software @ Nokia